Tractor



Wm' ju 'ons l n. s

1,441,232 reis.

'earner ARTHUR J. LIEDIKE, OF'WEST ALLIS, WISCONSIBR reactivos.

i Application filed March 2l, 1921. vSerial No. 454,099.

a citizen of the United States, residing at West Allis, in the county of Milwaukee and State of VYWisconsin, have invented a new and useful Tractor, of which the following is specification.

My invention relates in general to improvements in the construction and operation of vehicles such as tractors, which are especially adapted totransport devices such as agricultural and other earth working implements along the ground.

An object of my invention is to provide simple and compact means for enabling` emcient operation of a combined tractor and implement7 without necessitating constant direct observance of both of the devices forming the combined unit.

It has been found in certain classes of traction service such as the cultivation of corn and the like vegetation arranged in relatively uniform rows with the aid of a motor propelled tractor drawn cnltivator, that it is practically impossible for a single individual to simultaneously steer the tractor so as to keep it properly positioned between the rows of plants7 and to maintain the cultivator shovels in the desired proximity to the plants. `When the operator of the present commercial cultivator tractors, directs his attention to manipulation of the vehicle guiding wheels, the cultivator shovels vare often displaced sufficiently to either nproot some of the plants or to treat the soil at too great a distance from the plant roots. Then the attention of the operator is directed toward the cultivator shovels, the tractor wheels often run into the rows either because of displacement of the tractor guiding wheels by obstructions in their path, or due to irregularities in the plant rows. thereby causing the tractor wheels to crush or to otherwise damage the plants. This objection exists both in the type of tractor wherein the operator rides with the vehicle.I as well as in the 'type where the operator walks behind the tractor and the implement,' and has proven a serious obstacle confronting the exploitation of tractors for cultivating and `for similar service.

A. more specific object of my invention is to provide means for elimina ting these prior difficulties and for enablinga single individual to manipulate a tractor of either of the aforementioned types, without danger of injuring the plants. My invention ycomprises a simple, compacty andk neat atta-chment which lis readily applicable to most of f the present commercial tractors, and whereshovels is automatically and instantly indicated by observance of the tractor guiding means alone. These and other objects kand advantages accruing from my invention and themode of theirfattainment, will be ap,- parent from the accompanying` description.

ln describing one embodiment of my invention and its mode of operation in detail, reference may be had to the accompanying drawingforming apart of this specification, wherein like reference characters denote the same or similar parts in the several views, and in which?- Figure l is a side elevatiom/ partly in :section7 of a cultivator tractor of the socalled two front drive wheel type having the improved attachment applied thereto.`

Figure 2 is a bottom part sectional view of the cultivator tractor and of the improved attachment. y

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the operation of my improved tractor attachment.

rThe vehicle or tractor to which I have 'applied my invention by way of illustration,

is of the so-calledframeless type, wherein the body 2 comprising rigidly united motor and transmission housings functions as a frame, thereby eliminating necessity of providing a specialframe structure'. Projecting laterally from the opposite sides of the body 2 `are two horizontal alined stub axles 19 upon which the tractor guiding means or wheels 3 are rotatablyrmonnted. The weight of the 'driving motor and of the transmission mechanism is practically balanced about the axis of the wheels, and

the tractor is prevented from tilting forward andf'backward by means of a rearwardly kextending horizontal beam or reach 4;. The front portion of the reach 4 is bifurcated to formr a yoke the bifurcations of which extend forwardly above and below the transmission housing and are secured to i the body 2 by means of upright alined pivots 9`which lie in the :vertical planeof the axleaxis. The rear end of the' reach 4 is vir Tshaped, being;` supported at a definite disiaucc above the Aji'iiunf'l by nicnas wo caster wheels T which are mounted in vertical pivot bearings 24.11.

The wheels 3 besides servingv as the tractor guiding; means, are the propelling]Y inediuni ol' the vehicle1 each wheel being provided with an annular internal rear 141 which engaged by a pinion y27 secured to a horizontal drivingshaft 15, the shafts being` assoeiable with the propellinginotor through a differential and transmission gearing in a well known manner. The rearwardly extending reach t is laterally swingeble in a horizontal direction about the pivots Sl and relatively to the bod)T 27 by means ot' a bevel pinion 17 carried by the reach il: and (reacting: with a segmental rack 1G ysecured to the body 2, the 1pinion 17 being retatable by means of the steer-ing hand wheel 18. The hand wheel 18 and the motor controlling; levers which have been omitted` are preferably mounted upon tlie rear portion oi the reach 4 in convenient proximity to the operators seat which is also supported from the reach 4. The brackets of the caster wheels 7 may be provided with forwardly projecting arms 22 connected by a transverse link 23 as shown, in order to `permit positive manual movement of the wheels 7 about the pivot bearings 24e when making;r short turns. A double ,toot lever 2S located within easy reach from the seat is pivotally n'iounted upon the reach l and has a medial forwardly extending arm' piv- `otally connected to a pin on the cross link 23. The caster wheels 7 are normally fixed against rotation about the vertical pivot bearings 24: by means of a removable locking' pin Q9 which holds the toot lever "3Q y the associated elements against movement ,relatively lto the beam or reach 11. Upon withdrawal vot .the pin 29, the wheels '7 are .however freely s'winpable about the pivot and bearings 2.4 by `uianipulatiou of the toot lcver 28.

The implement ,or cultivator draft bar 5 is swinggably connected to a rear portion of the lbody 2 by means of a vertical pivot 10 whichis locsfited to the rear ofthe vertical plane of the axle axis. lu order to permit independent transverse swinging ot the reach ,ft and oe tbe. draft bar the lower bifurcation of the former is provided with a g nental through which the pivot 10 ,passes the draft bar beine; located belle reach rlhe draftI bar 5 extends rearwardly ifroi'n the pivot 10 and has a .uicdial @guide slot y1S through which a guide iiiivotpin 11 projects, the pin llbeing fixed to the reach f1. The cultivator cross bar 2O is secured to the rear end of the draftbar 5 by means off ,a :horizontal transverse pivot 30,3 andbas a se es ofequally spaced down wardljy projecting members Vto which the shovels G are attached. The cross bar 20 is vertically tiltable to vary the depth of eultivation and to elevate the shovels 6 out ot the ground.y by ineans of an ad'iusting;` lever :El pivoted to the reach land manually lockable to a depth gagging segment 25. ',l`he inauipulatiner portion ot' the lever 21 is located within easy reach from the Operatmrs seat 25. The siovels 6 are spaced laterally so as to enable thein to till the soil between parallel rows of plants 8 which are glaced standard distances apart as shown in Fig. 3.

During` operation of the combined vehicle and implement, the driving and guiding wheels are propelled along; the `around by means of `power applied tliroi'lgyjh the f'lriving shafts 15 and pinions 2T tothe annular internal gears lf-l, Nornial'steering ot the vehicle is effected by maninulation ol: the steering' hand wheel 1S which oiferates the pinion 1? coaoting with the raeli: 16. VWhen 4the handvfheel 18 is turned, the vehicle body 2 and the wheels il are swung laterally relatively to the reach 4f.. about the vertical pivots L thereby causing tl'ie forward wheels 3 to assume different angular positions in .vertical planes .relatively Ato the trailing caster wheels 7. [Bue to inaccuracies in the construction of vehicles of this lrind in cfinnmercial quantities and .for other reasona relative displacement ot tbe 'liront and rear supporting); wheels l also orten caused by ol y ructimis in the nath oi" travel oi one or more olr the sunnorting wheels thus producing irregularities in the course oif travel of the inzuhine` The irregularities in travelthus produced are elften sufficiently pronounced niale them decidedly objectionable in certain classes ot wor-lr such as cultivating; betweenrow's of plants 8. rilhe plants S which may be corn or other vegetation, are usually set out in parallel straight rows which are equal standard distances apart. The tractor wb, els 317 are spaced apart delinite distances which cnable transportation oi the vehicle over a, l'ield in a direction parallel to the rows of plants S, without dan fr oi injuring the plantsK unless the con oi travel oll tbc machine is interfered with :is liereinalum.

mentioned. The cultival'or shovels (i are likewise soared `apart definito distances so as to bring-:fj then! into the spaces between tbe successive plant rows during: normal onere tionv ol' the macbiiu` unless their comme ol' travel is interfered with.

lilith tbe arrangeurent oil' elements which l have illustrated inthe druwiirfrn the cullivator shovels 6 are properly positioned relativ ly to the plant rows when the liront und rear wheels S l are parallel to rai'll other as indicated in Figure The dratt bar 5 is then disposed parallel to the rear-h 4 and the pivots .9, 10, 11 all lie in a oom- Inon vertical plane. lf for any reasonI the Cir lOO

ll L) front guiding wheels 3 are displaced as shown in llligure 2, the pivot l0, at the front end, of lthe draft bar .5 swung laterally out of the vertical plane of thev pivots 9, ll by virtue of the displacement of the rear portion of the tractor body 2,.therebyscausing the bar 5 to slide along and .wing aboutthe pivot Vll and moving` the oultivator` shovels (5 transversely of ytheir normalA direction of forward travel. lf the front wheels 3 are swung in the opposite direction from that illustrated, the shovels 6 will likewise move in the opposite direction transversely of their normal path of travel. From this description it will be obvious that an operator positioned upon the seat 25, may direct his entire attention toward the proper location of the shovels 6 relatively to the plant rows,

and that these shovels will automatically keep him constantly informed as to contemplated changes in the direction of travel of the tractor. When the shovels 6 move laterally in either direction, the operator immediately knows that the guiding wheels 3 have been displaced and he can quickly return these wheels to their normal position by manipulation of the steering wheel i8, thus making` it possible for him to readily maintain the tractor wheels 3, 7 between the plant rows and avoiding injury t0 the individual plants 8.

lt will. bel apparent that the operator is also informed as to the actual position of the shovels 6, by observation of the guiding wheels 3 alone, thus enabling` him to operate the combined unit between slightly irregular rows of plants 8 without danger of injuring the plants. The depth of cultivation may be readily controlled by manipulation of the lever 2l, and the shovels' 6 `may be` elevated completely outof the soil'when it is desired to make a short turn. Th'eslot l2 in the reach 4 is necessary only when the reach. extends forwardly between the body 2 and the draft bar 5 asy illustrated, and the slot 13 may be formed either in the reach l or in the draft beam 5, the pivot ll in either ease beingsecured to the unslotted element and extending through the slot in the other element. The attachment is reada il y applicable to any of the standard farm tractorfl: and may also be used withtractors of the type wherein the operator walks in.- stead of riding as in the machine disclosed, as well as to other types of vehicles.

While .l have disclosed my invention asl applied to a specific type oftractor andas embodyingcertain details of construction, l do not Ydesire to have the scope thereof limited by such spocilic disclosure, as various modiiications within the scope ofthe appended is, may occur to peri-sons skilled in the art.

l, claim:

il. In combination,

a vehicle having a nasa 3 reach associated therewith, means for rela tively late ally swinging said vehicle and.k

ci" sai d .reacln a pivotal connection between rsaidreach and said bar, and an implement `aasocia-ted with said bar.

2. 'ln combination,` a yvehicle having a reachlassociated therewith, means for relatively laterally swinging said vehicle and said reach about a vertical axis, a draft bar swingable laterally relatively to said vehicle about another vertical axis and `independently of said reach, a pivotal connection between said'reach and said bar located on the side of'said bar axis remote from said reach axis, and an implement yassociated with said bar. e

In combination, a vehicle having wheels on opposite sides thereof and a reach associated withsaid vehicle by, means of a vertical pivot whosexaxis lies in the vertical plane of the aXis of said wheels, a draft bar pivotally associated with said vehicle to the rear of said reach pivot, a pivotal connection between said reach and said bar, and an implement attached to said bar, the aXes of said three pivotal unions normally lying in a common vertical plane.

4:. ln combination, a vehicle having a reach vertically pivotally connected thereto, a draft bar pivotally associated with said vehicle at a place remote -from the pivot of said reach, a pivotal connection between said reach and said bar, and an implement at tached to said bar, the axes of said three pivotal unions normally lying in a common vertical plane.

ln combination, a vehicle having a reach vertically pivotally connected thereto, a draft bar vertically pivotally connected to said vehicle at a point remote from the .pivot of said reach, a combined vertical pivotal and horizontally yslidable connection between said reach and said bar, and an im` plement attached to saidbar.

6. In combination7 a vehicle having wheels on opposite sides thereof and a reach vertically pivotally connected to said vehicle in the vertical plane of the axis ot said wheels, a draft bar vertically pivotallyY connected. to said vehicley to the rear of said plane, a combined vertical pivotal and horizontally slidable connection between said reach and said bar, and an implement attached to saidbar.

7. ln. con'ibination, a motor vehicle coinprising a pair of front motor propelled steering wheels swingable about a vertical pivot and alatcrally movable member extending rearwardly therefrom," a draft bar connected to said vehicle to the rear of said pivot by means of a second vertical aivot, a third vertical pivot connecting said bar and said .member7 and an implement attziehedlto Said bar.

'8. In combination7 a motor `vehicle oomprising a pair of liront motor propelled steering Wheels swingable about a Vertical pivot and a member 'extending rearwardly therefrom, a draft bar connected to said vehicle by means ot'a second Vertical pvot, an implement atmeheolv to said bar, a third pivot connecting said bar and Said member, said three pivots normally lying in a common plane.

9. In combination, a motor Vehicle eemprising a, pair of motor propelled steering wheele swmgable `about a Vertical pivot and a member extending rearwardly therefrom, a draft bar connected to said vehicle t0 the rear olz said pvot by means of a second vertical pivot7 an implement attached to said bar, and a third vertieal pivot connecting said bar and said member to the rear of said second pivot, said three pivots normally lying in a common plane.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto eiiiXed my signature.

fARJ'IlriUVR J. LIEDTKE. 

